Denny, Arthur Armstrong (1822-1899)

Arthur A. Denny is considered the leader of the party of immigrants who first landed at Alki (West Seattle) in 1851 and then founded the city of Seattle in 1852.

Born near Salem, Washington County, Indiana on June 20, 1822, Arthur Armstrong Denny learned to look out for himself and others at an early age. John Denny (1793-1875), Arthur's father, had been a Kentucky volunteer in the western battles of the War of 1812. Young Arthur cared for his invalid mother and attended school half days in a log schoolhouse. He learned carpentry and later taught school, studied surveying, and became county supervisor for Knox County, Illinois.

The Westward Adventure

Arthur Denny married Mary Ann Boren (1822-1912) on November 23, 1843, during the period he served as official surveyor of Knox County. Eight years later, he, Mary Ann, and other Denny and Boren family members outfitted four horse-drawn wagons, and with several dogs, saddle horses, and head of cattle, began their westward adventure from the little town of Cherry Grove on April 10, 1851.

The new Donation Land Law had recently passed and favorable descriptions of the climate, soil, and terrain of Oregon had been filtering eastward.

The Denny party's overland trip from Illinois to Portland and Puget Sound included stops at Council Bluffs, Iowa; sites along the Platte River; and Ft. Laramie, in what is now Wyoming. The party saw Independence Rock, Soda Springs, and Fort Hall in what is now Southern Idaho.

At Burnt River, a Mr. Brock from Oregon City advised them to forego the Willamette Valley and head north to Puget Sound. Brock must have been a convincing companion because the party, after resting in Portland to recover from the "ague," (malarial fever) sent John Low (1820-1888), David Denny, and a few head of cattle northward.

"Come at Once"

After an arduous journey to the Puget Sound, Low returned to Portland -- walking most of the way -- and delivered a letter from David Denny to Arthur: "We have examined the valley of the Duwamish River and find it a fine country. There is plenty of room for one thousand settlers. Come at once."

Boarding the little schooner Exact, the party sailed to Alki, arriving on that sandy, rain-soaked beach on November 13, 1851. Upon looking around, Mary Ann Denny, Arthur's wife, sat on a wet log with her baby in arms, and wept.

Exploring the Other Shore

After quickly building a roofless log cabin, the entire party moved in. Eventually, they put a roof on the first building and erected other shelters. A ship or two landed goods, and the men cut down trees for shipment to San Francisco for much needed hard cash. In early 1852, after experiencing rain and constant winds and coping with a poor ship's landing site, members of the party, including Arthur Denny, began to explore the Duwamish River, the mouth of the Puyallup River, and Cascade mountain passes.

Their curiosity led them to explore the eastern side of Elliott Bay. They found deep water, an abundance of timber on the nearby hillsides, and a small meadow and stream (today's Yesler Way). They decided to stake claims on the new shore. On February 15, 1852, Arthur Denny claimed the middle portion, William Bell (1817-1887) and David Denny claimed the north, and Carson Boren claimed the south. This event would later be known as the official founding of Seattle.

While other settlers, including the colorful Henry L. Yesler (1810-1892) and David "Doc" Maynard (1808-1873), were arriving in the tiny hamlet, Arthur Denny set to the task of building a home and seeking new business opportunities.

Leader of Seattle

Recognized as leader of Seattle -- a town named after his friend Chief Seattle (d. 1866) -- Denny found time over the next 40-plus years to serve as a delegate to the Monticello convention, which asked for the separation of today's Washington from Oregon; to serve as a King County commissioner and as Seattle's first postmaster; and to represent King County in the first Washington Territorial Legislature. He used his position in the legislature to locate the Territorial University in Seattle. Arthur Denny also donated land for the establishment of the university.

Denny served as land commissioner in Olympia and was elected a delegate to Congress in 1863, representing the Republican (formerly the Whig) party.

Abstemious Personal Life

Arthur Denny was a lifelong teetotaler. He was also a political conservative, an ascetic, and very cautious in his personal habits and business investments. He fervently practiced his Christian faith, and opposed legislative divorces. In early 1866, Denny erected an imposing residence at 1st Avenue between University and Union streets.

Arthur Denny passed away, after a long illness, on January 9, 1899, at the age of 77. Since his day through to the present time, members of the Denny clan have continued to live in the Puget Sound basin and to serve the community.

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Arthur Denny (1822-1899), n.d.Courtesy Clarence Bagley, History of King County

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